Just like the subject says...? I have Rigging Innovations risers / toggles that have "keepers" for both the top and bottom of the toggles (those elasticized hoods). Every once in a while the bottom or top on one side will release / come free on opening. No big deal, I guess, as everything else stays. I always set brakes / stow excess. Thought "maybe I was doing it wrong (I'm not)" and have had the packers set the entire system for me. Same results. With increasing frequency it seems. Risers were brand new in the summer and have ~150 jumps on them. Gonna have them looked at this weekend at the loft.

But the point: was doing a night jump on NYE and looked up after opening and both of the bottom end of the toggles were out of the keepers. The tops were *barely* in the hoods. Like *barely*. Excess was stowed. I don't routinely grab my risers on deployment...didn't on this jump.

So...outside of a very, um, "brisk" opening what should one expect? I assume a dual release that is asymmetrical (one before the other) would be worse but a simultaneous release would be just as concerning and speedy.

I've had brake fires before on rental / demo gear (oldish risers, since replaced) etc so a single-side fire is something that I'm generally familiar with - on rather docile canopies (large pulses, large storms).

Just had a full inspection / repack two weeks ago and everything seemed kosher...

A much longer opening that has the possibility of spinning up if the canopy gets moving.

That was my first chop, although it wasn't a brake fire, it was that the brakes were accidentally left unset. My lovely wife...er, packer who was nice enough to pack for me while I was doing a tandem missed the brakes and I hadn't set them like I should have after landing. It was chopped because it spun faster than Lindsey Lohan's car after Sunday brunch.

One of my toggles was coming partially unstowed on opening. My rigger looked at it and thought it was fine. I tried stowing it more carefully. Kept happening. I finally had a brake come unstowed on opening. Stupid me for putting up with it that long. I took it in and hand the lower keepers moved up and snugged. I think as the gear got well broken in the toggles just got softer and didn't stay tucked as well. I was careful on my first jump because I thought it might be harder to unstow the brakes. I just jumped it Saturday. Brakes stayed snug and unstowed fine. Good fix. Prevent the problem before it happens. Janna

Way back when dinosaurs roamed the earth, and mini risers didn't exist, I could not remember a single instance of a premature brake release. The toggles back then did not have or need an elastic keeper for the nose. If you want to prevent premature releases, then put slider stops on the risers.

When the canopy opens it will "Snatch" the risers as they accelerate out of the container. This action will cause the elastic tab type of brake retainer to release as the inertia of the "Snatch" forces it out of the retainer.

To demonstrate this take a separate unattached riser with such a toggle and while holding the riser by the connector link end give it a good whip or snap like a bull whip. The toggle will fly out from under the keeper.

Elastic keepers alone will not hold toggles during deployment they need either velcro or a "dot" snap to hold them secure. See:http://www.jumpshack.com/...RT&CategoryID=39We developed the elastic keeper to hold the nose of the toggle to the riser to facilitate pulling your slider down over your risers. It was never intended to secure the toggle and even with one on the top and one on the bottom the toggle will "Snatch" out of the keepers.

Loosing the left brake will cause the canopy to turn right and vice versa and loosing them both will cause a streamer

Way back when dinosaurs roamed the earth, and mini risers didn't exist, I could not remember a single instance of a premature brake release. The toggles back then did not have or need an elastic keeper for the nose. If you want to prevent premature releases, then put slider stops on the risers.

I'll look into the stops this weekend when I hit the loft...just have the std slink riser covers, currently.

As for the non complete release...sorry for the shitty attachment. Pretty much the max of my MS Paint skills. It isn't like this is an every jump thing...or even an every 20 jump thing. But it is enough that I've noticed - and is almost always the lower part of the toggle vice the top part of the toggle.

Many modern toggle designs are fundamentally flawed (although "usually" work OK) in that they rely a lot on toggle-in-keeper friction in those initial stages of deployment, before the brake line loads up and holds the toggle tight. (And hopefully tight enough against any slider grommets sometimes coming down and hitting the toggles.)

Old style toggles had velcro keeping them in place, while modern toggles often have things like two upwards pointing tabs or one upwards and one downwards pointing tab that are widely separated, that allow for any 'whip' in the riser to try to pop them out.

I've got toggles by Flying High (Canada), that add a downwards pointing tab just below the top tab of the toggle, so the toggle gets locked in better against upwards and downwards movement, all in one area of the toggle. Mirage Systems has a similar concept. (e.g., http://www.parachuteshop.com/risers.jpg)

Sure; Due to the trim angle of the canopy (nose down) the canopy starts trying to fly before it is inflated. This causes the top skin nose to roll over the cell opening blocking air intake and cell inflation. Result, a streamer. Some canopies are trimmed very flat and can get away without brakes. ie; Racer Tandem 400, Icarus Tandem. If you lose only one brake, that side roles over the nose preventing inflation and the other inflated side over flys the uninflated side, thus the opposite turn to the toggle location.

In either case, if you have the altitude, you might try the "Ram Air Recovery Position". Both toggles to your waist or to a point where your toggle would be if your brakes were still set. You might locate this hand position on your next jump by pulling your toggles down while observing the location of the brake eye to the guide ring. Make note of where your hands are when your steering line reaches this point.

During the opening, the nose has to catch air. The stabelisers left and right and the tail (with the brakes werd) will "force" more air to the nose. This will speed up the opening. Soms canopies are designed differently and will not need that the brakes are set.

I got one jump on a Cobalt 135 WL 1.8+ when I forgot to set my brakes.

I had my wildest opening there. My canopy was trying to fly with uninflated center cells in a shape of a V. I pulled some rears to help inflation. I got 2 full twist on the lines in a split second from stall recovery. I was really close to give up and cut it away.

I made it up!That particular phrase is in reference to all of the instructions we have given to new Ram-air pilots over the years. It was originally; "Grab your brakes and go to your waist". Then cord lengths changes and it became "Go to Half Brakes". The point being that when and if you get into trouble that is the first action. If you are in turbulance go to that position. Don't even think about using your risers. Most problamatic turbulance occurs near the ground and you sure want to be in deep brakes if that happens. "The point of greatest lift is just prior to an impending stall. That is when the boundry layer is the strongest and the most difficult to remove. It is also the best configuration for re-deployment if you get comprimised.

I made it up!That particular phrase is in reference to all of the instructions we have given to new Ram-air pilots over the years. It was originally; "Grab your brakes and go to your waist". Then cord lengths changes and it became "Go to Half Brakes". The point being that when and if you get into trouble that is the first action. If you are in turbulance go to that position. Don't even think about using your risers. Most problamatic turbulance occurs near the ground and you sure want to be in deep brakes if that happens. "The point of greatest lift is just prior to an impending stall. That is when the boundry layer is the strongest and the most difficult to remove. It is also the best configuration for re-deployment if you get comprimised.

That is soo perfect,...I am floored by this response. That is a peerfect description of an increasing issue and I am glad you illustrated the recovery so well.

With the advent of the canopy proficency card requirements, we have more people in the air than ever, rightly so, learning and using their canopies in ways that they haven't done in the past. As everyone is well aware, part of this self-discovery, is rear riser and toggle stalls. HOWEVER for those of us that have entered a toggle stall with a certian amount of enthusiasm, i.e. pulled to our waist as fast as we can,...and then released the toggles just as quickly because,..well we literally just scared the Sh$% out of ourselves...REMEMBER THE FINE PRINT THAT SAYS "RELEASE TOGGLES S-L-O-W-L-Y,"

you have provided the wourld with a phrase to accompany the fine print that all too often gets forgotten! I for one hope this phrase catches on.C

Here is an example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_e3H3fGpd4 of what happens to an Atair Radical with both toggles unstowed. If I had known what was wrong, I would probably react by pulling the toggles all the way down...